Method and apparatus for handling multiple paper sheets



1936? w. c. PFEIFFER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MULTIPLE PAPER SHEETS Filed May 5, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet l WILLIAMJL. PFEIFFER,

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LTIPLE PAPER SHEETS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MU Filed May 5, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANDLING MULTIPLE PAPER SHEETS William C. Pfeiffer, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Egry Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application May 5, 1933, Serial No. 669,476

18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for use in connection with typewriters, and has for its object to provide an attachment that will, in cooperation with the platen of a type- 5 writer, support and feed to the typewriter a plurality of strips of paper with interleaved carbon sheets between them, and will align the paper supported so that the writing on each strip will be similarly positioned and. similarly spaced from a dividing line or lines in the strips separating the strips into sheets.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an attachment adapted to support and feed, in connection with a typewriter platen, a plurality 15 of superimposed strips of paper and align and maintain the strips in alignment at the point of writing, and so support and operate the strips that the operator of the typewriter need not touch the paper except for tearing off the parts that have been written upon, all movements of the sheets of paper and the proper interleaving of the carbon sheets between the parts of the strips of paper to be .written on being accomplished mechanically.

These and other advantages will appear from I the following descripition taken in connection with the drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a typewriter 30 with the attachment applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a view showing the manner in which the carbon sheets are supported interleaved between the strips of paper written upon.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section in side ele- 35 vation of the attachment, showingthe strips of paper with the carbon sheets interleaved therebetween after the strips and carbon sheets have been withdrawn so that the strips may be fed for severing purposes.

40 Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the strips of paper and the carbon sheets in the position they assume at the close of each writing period.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing the means 45 for aligning the strips of paper in aligning position.

" Figure 6 is a section through parts of strips, and showing the aligning means with the aligning pin withdrawn from the holes in the strips 60 vi p p Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the strips of paper and the carbon sheets in the position they assume at the beginning of the writing period.

55 Figure 8 is a section on the 1ine 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a detail view showing the aligning bar with aligning fingers for engaging the creases in the paper to align the strips of paper.

Figure 10 is a front elevation of the attachment showing parts of the carbon sheets. 5 Figure 11 is a'section on the line ll-ll of Figure 3.

Figure 12 is a rear elevationof the aligning part of the attachment.

Figure 13 is a view showing in side elevation 10 the upper end of the attachment with the spring casing in section.

Figure 14 is a front view of the attachment with the strips of paper and the carbon sheets retracted into their upper position. 15

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14, showing the strips of paper and the carbon sheets at the end of the writing period.

This attachment consists of a rectangularly shaped frame adapted to be attached to the rear of a typewriter and'is composed of two lateral members I, which have internally directed flanges 2 which act as supports and guides for the carbon carrier plate (Figure 10). These lateral members are connected by two transverse members 3, connected to the lateral members by bolts 4.

For the purpose of attaching the transverse members to the lateral members 'the ends of the transverse members are turned in to engage the lateral members. These transverse members are braced by means of .two diagonal braces 5, each having its ends riveted by rivets 6 to the transverse members. Where these two diagonal braces cross they are connected'by a rivet 1.

On the lower end of each lateral member is a 5 bracket 8, which has a front prong 9 with'a notch l 0 therein to engage a cross rod on the typewriter, and a rear prong II, with a notch l2 therein to receive another cross rod iii of the typewriter l1 (Figure 3). On each rear prong is a latch l3 4 attached thereto by means of a bolt Hi. This latch has a notch l5 therein to receive the rod l6 so that the frame is securely held upon the typewriter byforming an inclosed seat for the rod iii.

The typewriter has the usual platen Ila and the usual paper release roller D. On the lower end of the frame and supported by the lateral members is a shaft I8, which has thereon two spaced sprocket wheels 19. (Figure 10). In theupper end of the frame and supported by the lateral members is a shaft 20, which has thereon two spaced sprocket wheels 2|. The sprocket wheels onthe shaft l8 are connected to sprocket wheels on the shaft 20 by means of sprocket chains 22.

Between the sprocket wheels 2! is a drum 23 forming a roller over which superimposed strips of paper pass. On each end of the drum adjacent a sprocket wheel 21 is a guide disc 23a that aids in aligning the strips of paper and holding them in alignment laterally as they pass over the roller during the operation of the typewriter. On the upper end of one of the lateral members is a housing or casing 24 which fits over'oneend of the shaft 20. This housing is supported on the lateral member by means of screws 25, and has therein a spring 26, one end of which is attached to the housing while its other end is attached to the shaft 20.

The numeral 21 represents a carrier plate which extends across the front of the frame and is supported by the inturned flanges 2 and is attached to the chains by means of bolts 28. On each end of the carrier plate is a bracket 29 attached thereto by means of a rivet 30 which fits behind the inturned flange and prevents the carrier plate from leaving the frame (Figure 8). Between each bracket 29 and the carrier plate is a spacer 3|. On each spacer, the carrier plate and the bracket 29 is a pin 32. These pins serve to support carbon carriers 33, each of which has at each end a hole surrounded by reenforcing material 34 to prevent wear due to engagement with the pin.

There may be any desired number of these carbon carriers, which are held in position by means of a spring plate 36, which has in each end a notch 31 adapted to engage in suitable notches 38 in the pins 32. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, each of these pins has a plurality of these notches, whereas in'the form shown in Figure 11 each pin has one notch, and in order to take up the slack between the spring plate 36 and the outer carbon carrier, a sleeve 35 is provided for each pin. It is found more desirable, however, to use the plurality of notches rather than to use one notch with the sleeve 35.

The strips of paper are indicated by the numeral 39 and. may be fed from a pile located at some suitable point behind the typewriter, and fed over the top of the drum or roller and beneath the platen of the typewriter. The carbon sheets 40 interleaved between the strips of paper are supported by means of the carbon carriers 33, one carbon sheet for each carbon carrier. On each lateral member, near the typewriter, is a guide plate 4| to prevent lateral movement of the sheets of paper as they are fed to the typewriter.

Attached to the chains at the back of the frame 'is a plate 42, which has at each end, at its upper edge, an ear 43 (Figures 3 and 5). These ears are connected by a rod 44 which serves to hold the sheets of paper in assembled condition. At each end and intermediate the lateral edges of the plate 42 is an ear 45. These ears are connected by a rod 46, similar to the rod 44 and used for a similar purpose. At each end and at the lower edge of the plate 42 is an ear 41, to which is attached one end of a lever 48 by means of an ear 50 formed on a lateral flange 49, and a. bolt 51 passing through the ears 4! and 50.

The other end of this lever is bent to form a stop flange 52, which engages the plate 42 when the aligning pins 54 are in the holes in the paper for aligning the strips of paper. There are two of these levers, one at each side of the frame and at the rear thereof, connected by means of an angle bar 53 which extends to each side of the frame and may be gripped for releasing the pins from the holes in the strips of paper. The holes in the strips of paper are indicated by the numeral 55. I 5

In the form shown in Figures 7 and 8 there is provided at each side of the frame a guide plate 56, attached at each end to one of the transverse members 3. In order to hold the plate 42 against the guide plates there is provided at each end of 10 the plate 42 a clip 51 which fits in front of the guide plate and holds the plate 42 in contact with the back surfaces of these guide plates. A spring 58 is provided for holding the pins against the sheets of paper or in the holes in which they project for aligning purposes. These springs are attached to the angle bar 53 and to the guide plate 56.

In order to limit the upward movement of the carrier plate there are provided in the lateral 20 members, holes to receive stops 59 (Figure 11). There is also provided in one of the lateral members an adjustable clip 60 for use in determining when the holes in the strips of paper are in a position to receive the aligning pins. The strips of 25 paper are separated into separate tear-off sheets by means of creases or perforations 6|, extending transversely across the strips of paper.

Each strip of paper is divided into sheets of the same size by the transverse creases. The dis- 3n tance between the upper edge of each sheet of paper and the aligning holes is the same for all sheets and for all strips of paper composed of sheets. Instead of using aligning pins for entering the aligning holes 55 there may be pro- 35 vided on the angle bar 53, fingers 62 which will engage the strips in the creases (Figure 9).

The numeral 63 represents a pile of paper supported on a table at the rear of a typewriter. This pile of paper is composed of a plurality 40 of superimposed strips folded along the creases. These superimposed strips of paper are fed over the roller or drum and beneath the platen of the typewriter. The aligning pins and the plate carrying these pins are located on the sprocket 5 chains at the rear of the attachment so that the aligning is accomplished before the strips pass over the roller or drum, at the upper end of the frame.

In passing over the roller or drum at the upper 60 end of the frame the strips become partially out of alignment, due to the variation in the diameters or curvatures of the strips. However, this lack of aligmnent is removed by passing the strips beneath the platen of the typewriter, where the 55 curvatures of the strips vary inversely as they vary in passing over the drum. By this means the holes of the strips are in alignment after the strips have been fed around the platen. This is illus-- trated in Figure 7, which shows the holes 55 in 60 the strips in perfect alignment after the strips have passed beneath the platen.

The purpose of this-accurate alignment is that the writing on each superimposed sheet of the various strips corresponds in place and position to that of each of the others. During the process of writing the strips with the interleaved carbon sheets therebetween are fed for writing purposes.

1 The free'ends of the strips of paper, as shown in 7 have been withdrawn to the position shown in the holesin' the strips of paper.

Figure 3 the carbon sheets are above the platen, while the strips of paper are in a position to be gripped and held against the platen. The paper release is brought into a position to hold the strips of paper against the platen. The angle bar 53 is pushed backwardly to withdraw the pins from.

rotated to feed the strips of paper forwardly. This feeding operation continues until the creases at the lower ends of the next sections of the strips to be written on have reached the point indicated by the clip til, at which time the bar 53 is released and the pins drop into the holes of the strips. Any further rotation of the platen will not only cause the strips of paper to be advanced but also the sheets of ,carbon interleaved therebetween. When the platen has been rotated sufiiciently to bring the creases onto the platen the written parts of the strips of paper are torn off. The platen is further rotated to adjust the oncoming sections of the strips of paper for writing purposes.

During thisentire operation the paper has been touched by the hand of the operator only for the purpose of severing the used sections from the strips. By adjusting the stops 59 and the clip the strips of paper divided into sheets of various lengths may be used.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within the scope of my claims and my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by. Letters Patent, is: I

1. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a frame attached at'one end to the typewriter, a roller on the other end of the frame, said roller cooperating with the platen to support and feed a plurality of superimposed strips of paper to the typewriter, saidstrips first passing over the roller and then about the platen, and means on the frame to hold the strips in alignment as they approach the roller.

2. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a roller cooperating with the platen to support and feed a pile of superimposed strips of paper tothe typewriter, said strips first passing over the roller and then about the platen, the

roller and platen engaging opposite faces of the pile, and means to align the strips before the strips reach the roller and hold them in alignment as they approach the roller, whereby after the strips have passed over the roller and about the platen they will be in alignment as before reaching the roller.-

3. In combination with a typewriter having a' platen thereon, a roller cooperating with the platen to support andfeed a plurality of superimposed strips with aligned holes therein, said strips, the roller and then about the first passing over A platen so that the roller and the platen are on opposite sides of the superimposed strips, and means engaging the strips in the holes before they reach the roller to hold them in alignment as they approach the roller, whereby after the strips have passed over the roller and about the platen the holes will be in alignment.

4. In combination with a typewriter having a platen thereon, a frame adapted to be attached at one end to the typewriter, a roller at the other ber on the frame, a carrier on one side of the The-platen is end of the frame cooperating with the platen to support and feed a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, the roller and platen engaging opposite sides of the superimposed strips, and means supported and operated by the roller to align the strips at the rear of the roller, whereby the strips are in the same'alignment after they have passed the roller and the platen;

5. In combination, a frame, a traveling memframe actuated by the traveling member for spacing a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, and means on the traveling member on the other side of the frame from the carrier for aligning the strips of paper.

6. Incombination, a frame having thereon a pair of traveling members, a carrier on. one side of the frame actuated by the traveling members for spacing a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, and means on each traveling member on 20 the other side of the frame from the carrier for aligning the strips of paper.

7. In combination, a frame having at each end a shaft, '9. pair of sprocket wheels on each shaft,

a pair of chains engaging the sprocket wheels, a 2.) drum on one shaft between the sprocket wheels thereon.for supporting a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, a carrier attached to the chains and supported by the frame on one side thereof, and means attached to the chains on-the so other side of the frame from the carrier for aligning the strips of paper, said means including a plate attached to the chains and means pivoted to the plate for aligning the strips.

8. In combination, a frame having at each end 3.; a shaft, a pair of sprocket wheels on each shaft,

a pair of chains engaging the sprocket wheels, a drum on one shaft between the sprocket wheels thereon for supporting a plurality of superimposed strips of paper having aligning holes therein, 9,40 carrier attached to the chains and supported by the frame on one side thereof, a plate attached to the chains on the other side of the frame from the carrier, and means pivoted to the plate to engage the strips in the holes to align and hold in 4.3 alignment the strips.

9. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a. frame adapted to be attached at one end to the typewriter, a shaft having a pair of sprocket wheels thereon in the'typewriter end of the frame, 50 a shaft. in the other end of the frame, said lastnamed shaft having a pair of sprocket wheels thereon and a drum between the sprocket wheels, chains connecting the sprocket wheels of one shaft to those of the other, said drum and platen being 53 adapted to support and feed a plurality of super- "imposed strips of paper, a carrier attached to the chains and supported by the frame on one side thereof for supporting a, plurality of carbon sheets interleaved betweenthe strips, a plate at- 60 tached to the chains on the other side of the frame from the carrier, and means on the plate to align the strips of paper.

10. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a frame adapted to be attached at one end 65 to the typewriter, a shaft having a pair of sprocket wheels thereon in the typewriter end of the frame,-

a shaft in the other end of the frame, said lastnamed shaft having a pair of sprocket wheels thereon and a drum between the sprocket wheels, 70 chains connecting the sprocket wheels of one shaft to those of the other, said drum andv platen being adapted to supportand feed a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, a carrier attached to the chains and supported by the frame on one side 7 thereof for supporting a plurality of carbon sheets interleaved between the strips, a plate attached to thechains on the other side of the frame from the carrier, and means on the plate to align the strips of paper, said means including levers, each pivoted at one end to the plate, and means on the other ends of thelevers to align the strips of paper.

11. In combination with a typewriter having a platen, a frame adapted to be attached at one end to the typewriter, a shaft having a pair of sprocket wheels thereon in the typewriter end of the frame, a shaft in the other end of the frame, said lastnamed shaft having thereon a pair of sprocket wheels and a drum between the sprocket wheels, chains connecting the sprocket wheels of one shaft to those of the other, said drum and platen being adapted to support and feed a plurality of superimposed strips of paper with aligning holes therein, a carrier attached to the chains on one side of the frame for supporting a plurality of carbon sheets interleaved between the strips, a plate attached to the chains on the other side of the frame from the carrier, and means having pins thereon engaging the strips in the holes to align the strips.

12. In combination with a typewriter, a frame, a roller on the frame adapted to support a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, means on one side of the frame to align the strips longitudinally, means on the roller to align the strips laterally, means on the other side of the frame to support carbon sheets interleaved between the strips, means to feed the strips and the carbon sheets to the typewriter, and means acting on the roller to withdraw the strips and sheets from the typewriter when the feed means is released.

13. In combination with a typewriter, a frame, a roller on the frame adapted to support a plurality of superimposed strips of paper, means on one side of the frame to align the strips longitudinally, means on the roller to align the strips laterally, means on the other side of the frame to support carbon sheets interleaved between the strips, means to feed the strips and the carbon sheets to the typewriter, and spring means acting on the roller to withdraw the strips and sheets from the typewriter when the feed means is released,

14. In combination with a frame to support and guide strips of paper, means to move said strips, means to support sheets of carbon paper between said strips, and means removably attached to said strips and operated by the movement of said strips to move said carbon-supporting means, said last-named means comprising a chain to which said carbon-supporting means is attached.

15. In combination, a frame having means to support a plurality of strips of fan-folded paper, a movable paper positioner, a movable carbon sheet carrier, a holder on said carrier for holding carbon sheets interleaved between the paper strips, and a flexible conveyor operatively interconnecting said paper positioner and said carbon carrier independently or" said paper strips to move said positioner and said carrier inunison with one another.

16. In combination, a frame having means to support a plurality of strips of fan-folded paper, a movable paper positioner, a movable carbon sheet carrier, a holder on said carrier for holding carbon sheets interleaved between the paper strips, a flexible conveyor operatively interconnecting said paper positioner and said carbon carrier independently of said paper strips to move said positioner and said carrier in unison with one another, and yielding means urging said conveyor in one direction and adapted to return said carrier to its position of rest when its carbon sheets are released.

17. In combination, a frame having means'to support a plurality of strips of fan-folded paper, a movable paper positioner, a movable carbon sheet carrier on the opposite side of said frame from said paper positioner, a holder on said carrier for holding carbon sheets interleaved between the paper strips, and a conveyor operatively interconnecting said paper positioner and said carbon carrier independently of said paper strips to move said positioner and said carrier in unison with one another.

18. In combination, a frame having means to support a plurality of, strips of fan-folded paper, a movable paper positioner, a movable carbon sheet carrier on the opposite side of said frame from said paper positioner, a holder on said carrier for holding carbon sheets interleaved between the paper strips, and a conveyor operatively interconnecting said paper positioner and said carbon carrier independently of said paper strips to move said positioner and said carrier in unison with one another, said conveyor comprising an endless chain to which said positioner and said carrier are attached.

WILLIAM C. PFEIFFER. 

